Harness motion



Nov. 30, 1948. E. c. NICHOLS 2,455,263

HARNESS MoTloNs' l Filed Nov. 18, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A TrO/QA/EY Patented Nov. 30, 1948 HARNESS Mo'rIoN Edward Crf'Nicholsj' Upton, Mass., assignor to Draper Corporation, Hopedale, Mass., acorporation of Maine Application November 18, 194i, serial No. 554,011;

, 8 Claimsl The present invention'y relates" generally to shedding mechanisms for looms and, as illusl. trated herein, relates more particularly t an im-r proved harness spring lmechanism.

It is conventional practice in modern high' speed looms tomove the loom harnesses positively in one direction and to retract or -move the harnesses in the other direction by the use of helical springs. Such springs have not been generally satisfactory since they break and it is diicult to make' the necessary adjustments to vary the spring tension to'provide for widely varying conditions of operation. Relatively small variations in spring tension may be made, but if large increases or decreases in tension are to be made, it is necessary to substitute heavier or lighter springs as th'e case may be.

One object of the present construction, accordingly, is to provide a harness spring mechanism by the use of which the above objectionswill be overcome. To this end and in accordance with one feature of the invention, means are provided forY adjusting the spring tension of each harness spring individually within relatively wide limits and-means for adjusting the tension of the harness springs collectively within relatively narrow limits-toobtain precisely the tensionrequired. b

As illustrated', at spiral clock type springs are provided which are-anchored at one enclto Ya support and have theirother "end arranged to enter recesses 0r slotsinth'e'hub of a sheave to` obtain approximately the'tension desired in each s1:Jringmember.l Further collective 'adjustment is accomplish'ed byangular adjustment of"V the supporting frame -for the harness spring members. It is apparent from the above that the4`Av harness spring tension vmay be accurately varied between'wide limits. l

vOther objects of the inventionare generally to improve upon the construction and operation of looms.' I

With the above and 'other objects and features in view, the invention will now be'described with' particular reference to the accompanying drawing in which- Fig. 1 is a View in front elevation of a portion ,Y

of a loom havingapreferred embodimentof thek invention applied thereto;

Fig, 2 is a detail view in front eleva-tion of the I.

harness spring assembly;

showing the adjusting mechanism;

Fig. l is' a` detail view similar to Fig, 2=butshowv ing the parts in rear elevation; e r y Eig.-3 is a perspective View` partly in section,-`

Fig. 5 is a view in side elevation of the spring assembly; and

Fig. 6 is a view in elevation of partof the posipositive means includes treadles I3 which are operated by the usual harness 'camsl (not shown) to depress the harnesses I0. The treadles 'I3 are each connected tothe bottom bar I5 of a respective harness'f'frame by' the usual adjustable strap Il. Th'espring means I2'isconnected to the left hand end of the harness frame I0 by a strap yI4 which passes over a sheave I6 mounted on a support I8. Screws 2l! secure the support l8-to anarch connection 22; The lower end of the strap-I4 is provided with a series ofholes in which a hook 24 may be insertedfor adjustment, th'e lower end of the hook 24 tting into a screw eye 26 projecting upwardly from the top bar 2.8` of the harness frame I0.r -A strap 3l) is also connected to the spring means l2 andA passes over another-sheave (not shown) and is connected to the right hand end of the harness frame 4Il'i byl a hook and leye (not shown) which are similar to th'e hook 24 and the eye 26 at the left hand side of the frame 28. f

VThe spring means I 2 includes aspiral spring 32 f formed of flat ribbon-like material. One end of the spring ,32 is hooked vand caught under a rod 34 supported in frontand rear supporting frames 36 and 38, respectively. The supports 36 and 38 are connected togeth'er'and supported on a stub shaft40 Vwhich passes through a hole drilled in theupper end of the left hand arch' end 42 and to which the left hand end of the arch connection in the form of an inverted T, one of the legs of each of which has an opening to receive the rod 34. Set screws 46 and 48 secure the rod 34 in position on the front andrear supports, respectively. The other ends of the cross bars of the" lTstare also interconnected by a rod 50 whichl is secured by set screws 52', 54 to the front and rear support frames, respectively.V

sired. The. sheavelnis formed. witha forwardly.

projecting generally cylindrical lip 62 which is slightly wider than the spiral springs 32.

The. z

lip 82, adjacent to its outer end, is providedwith...

a series of spaced threaded h'oles 64 which are arranged to receive a screw 66 passing :through a l hole formed in one end of amaai-'ness-fstrap'liti The other end of the harness strap is secured to the straps i4 and 30 by a hooked .member qlil.

The spring 32 is so wound'tliatit rocks' the sheave BD in a counter-clockwise direction.l The spring 32 is placed undentension by winding it in clockwise direction :l T-andauinserting the .f inner hooked end 55 in the proper sion 5s. ...Ifgreatertension.is. desired, lthehooked end .caribe moved further in a clockwise direction andthe-.hooked end 55-.j:insertedyin the nearest slot ,5H .-sEach sheave 60..inthe series-is placed. under@ Ysubstanmentof .each sheave 8011s prevented by a stop rod.

12..-passing through-,openings in. the upper end portions lof ythe -fronti and rear. support yframes-36 and 38. respectively.A l.-liach .sheave Ais provided with..anv opening .1li-through-whichnthell rod 12 passes. .Thuawhen the-.strap fisdisconnected,

from...the strapsM .and 38,-the sh'eave SDfis. free to.. .rotateA in a ,counter-clockwise..direction .Y until the .inner-'.edge of .the.:-frame.,ofthe sheave= 60 strikes the rod 1.2. 3 v

I It.. is v desirable -,tox provide-I spacers w16. between.

each. oflthesheaves 8. nThese spacers -16- are;pro. vided. with openingsf-.throughfwhich'. yth'errods` 34 and. A51'! .pass and which, supportA the spacers 16 in .l

inciding with the curve ofthe end offthaspring;

32.y The retainer-18 Vis castas a. partof thegspacer- 16 and close to the rod 34 so that thetspring-z32 .f

can be` inserted. therebetween. A jfelt {strip-:88' is preferablyfprovided. and cemented 'to the member 18. and. acts-.to absorbV vibration and'. to prevent unduewearonthespring-32. .-.Each-spaoerfifis v also provided-Withra spring .vibrationdampening roll 82 whichisso located.thatgvibrationslhaving an. amplitude greater-than the spacingbetween the. vadjacent convolutionsv -oithe spring are.

dampened.. Thus., adjacent lconvolutions are prevented from touching-each. other andxthus-.weary which .might bel producedby rubbing.; of adjacent convolutions; .is .-prevented-.--.1'I`he .t roll :'.82 is f mounted .on a ypin- 84 and. is .freefto rotate.

`Aften-.the .sheaves ....60 .and the springs: `32 lhave 'f beenfassei'nbled onthe shaitath'e'sheaves. 60'- are prevented from ,laterali movement: by. washers 86 andcotter pint-88.L Lateralnmovementifof 'the spacer .bars'- 115 is prevented` byfcollars 90 locked tajine rod siby a-setiscrewf 92.-.Afterthe parts have been thus assembledyiit'may-beidesirablecto.

adjust the tension of the springs 32 still further and this is readily accomplished by rotating the entire assembly about the shaft 4D and locking the assembly in position by tightening a lock nut 94 against a hub 96 formed on and as part of the rear support frame 38. A bolt 98 passes through a curved slot IDU in the hub portion 96 of frame 38. whichV limits the adjustmentv which may be made;

The term spiral as used herein to describe springs 32 is used in its limited sense, excluding helical tension springs.

`The-drawings show only two spring means I2 butsit,`iscevident..that:fthe number of means I2 must correspondito the number of harnesses usedv in theilonm.

Having .thus described -my invention, what I claim as new`and desire to secure by Letters :Patentof the United States is:

1. In a loom, a harnessv frame, means for moving the framein oneldirectionya rotatablemember mountedabove said ..irame, lexible., connections y between 'the .member ,and the..harnessgframeala spiral spring for...mo'vling .the..rotatable, .member and the...harn ess framein the...opposite.direction, a hub .on said rotatable member having .a.plura'.l.v ity. of sl'ots therein selectively receiving. .the inner.. end of said spring,.land.means angularly adjus't.-` able relatively to 'said rotatable Amember--to which the outer'` end ofithe sprrisissecured.

`2. In a loom, a harness frame, .means fon mov-l ing. the harnesssframe; in Aone.dir`ection, spiral spring means. for .moving the .harnessiramefin the, other .direction-.a rotatable-meri'iber. mounted aboveV said harness frameF4 strap. connections be-- tween thefirame. and .fthe rotatable memben. a hub on said rotatable member havinga plurality. of slots .thereinin .which` the. inner` end of said spring .meansisselectively vpositioned,an.. adjustable supporti. meanson4 saidsupport to whichthe outer..end,of.said spring. meansis .securectgand` means forsecuring said..support adjusted...

position.. n y

3...In aloom.;l aharnessframesmeans Vfor moving .,.thefl-harnessrame in one...direction,.-.a .flat clocketype Spring. .for movingwthe harness rframe in. the other ...direction a rotatable.. member mounted above.. said.. .harnessIl frame.` strap.i con- ,i nections between said .member-...and .said harness a fframa. ahub-.onsaid rotatable memberihayingla `for individually adjustingv the..tenson.0f..each.of.

said springs, and means for simultaneously varying the tension of all of said springs..

5.' In a loom, a plurality of. harness .straps,. l means for moving the harness. vstrapsin one. di-v rection comprising' aA plurality of "atllral springs, independently rotatable .members .to which one endofeach'of 'said springs is cone. nected;-mea'ns connectingl eachof Asaid straps to a respective one of said'Jrotatablermembers,

: means 1.oneach f of f said imembers lfor independ= ently adjusting the tensior`1f\ofl :the springe con-- nected: :iz-hereto, n and --4 Ameans 'i for; simultaneously adjusting the tensionsrof said-springs.

6.a Ina-azloom; a plurality-lof -rotatable "members each having a plural-slottaie-hule;4 aplur'alityOf harness straps, means connecting each of said straps to a respective one of said rotatable members of movement of the member in one direction, a plurality of spiral springs, one for each of the rotatable members and associated therewith, each spiral spring at one end thereof being engaged in a selected slot of a respective rotatable member to rotate the member in a direction opposite to said one direction with a selected degree of torque, and mean-s for anchoring the other end of each of said springs, the last said means being movable relatively to the rotatable members for simultaneously adjusting the tension of all of said springs.

7. In a loom, a plurality of independently rotatable sheaves each having a plural-slotted hub and a lip provided with a plurality of fastener receiving h'oles, a plurality of harness straps, a plurality of fasteners one for each sheave and tted in a selected one of said holes and attaching an individual one of said harness straps to the respective one of said sheaves for movement of the sheave in one direction, a plurality of spiral springs one for each of the rotatable sheaves and associated therewith, each spiral spring at one end thereof being engaged in a selected slot of the associated sh'eave to rotate the sheave in a direction opposite to said one direction with a selected degree of torque, means to which the other end of each of said springs is anchored, and a bracket in which said last named means is supported, said bracket being movable into various positions to simultaneously adjust the tension of all of said springs.

8. In a loom, a harness frame, means for moving the harness frame in one direction, spiral spring means for moving the harness frame in the other direction, a rotatable member mounted above said harness frame, flexible connections between the harness frame and the rotatable men ber, a hub attached for rotation with said rotatable member and having a plurality of slots within any selected one of which the inner end of said spring may be connected, and means angularly adjustable relativeh7 to said rotatable member for adjustably positioning the outer end of said spiral spring and means to lock said last mentioned means in an adjusted position.

EDWARD C NICHOLS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of recordv in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

